Author Archives: fobif

Blackwood: a link to a great Australian tradition

Posted on 13 September, 2015 by fobif

Blackwoods are flowering around the place at the moment, though more prolifically in the country to our south. Is there a better example of an Aussie battler than this attractive tree? ‘It tolerates drought, poor drainage, any soil, salt air, … Continue reading →

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Trail bikes [1]: so, what’s the problem?

Posted on 13 September, 2015 by fobif

The second successful FOBIF youth walk for 2015 took a circuit from Garfield Wheel to Forest Creek on Sunday September 6. [see our post above]. You can find a good account of the walk by John Ellis on the Chewton.net … Continue reading →

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Childrens walk cancellation

Posted on 28 August, 2015 by fobif

The childrens walk planned for  Sunday August 30 in the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens has had to be cancelled due to ill health. Our apologies for the short notice: we’ll let readers know when alternative arrangements are made.

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Hot tip: look for butterflies in the mistletoe…

Posted on 24 August, 2015 by fobif

Julie Whitfield gave a rousing talk on local butterflies to Newstead Landcare last Thursday. Those who missed it are recommended as a consolation to log on to a terrific Radio National Off Track program, A world without butterflies in which [among … Continue reading →

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Sometimes you wonder: who’s doing the most damage to our bush?

Posted on 24 August, 2015 by fobif

FOBIF has been getting numerous reports of roadside vandalism by both private and public operators. Walkers on FOBIF’s Tarilta excursion noticed more DELWP scouring on the Porcupine Ridge road last week, and this week we found numerous scalped verges on … Continue reading →

Posted in Fire Management, News | 1 Comment

Quote of the week

Posted on 24 August, 2015 by fobif

‘As we develop a better understanding of bushfire risk in different localities, we will supplement our investment in planned burning with other works such as slashing and burning and mowing while aiming for the least impact on people and our ecosystems.’ [Our emphasis] That’s from one of DELWP’s … Continue reading →

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Fire: it’s not just a matter of fuel reduction

Posted on 17 August, 2015 by fobif

Fire officers met the public in a lengthy consultation session on the draft Fire Operations Plan [FOP] through the afternoon and evening of last Tuesday [August 11] in Bendigo. An excellent link to the relevant documents with comments on the … Continue reading →

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Into the valley

Posted on 17 August, 2015 by fobif

A solid group of FOBIF walkers led by Richard Piesse dropped in to the Tarilta Valley from Porcupine Ridge on Sunday in brisk but fine winter weather. There was good bird watching and plenty of fungi on show, and the … Continue reading →

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Roadsides: is scalping just management on the cheap?

Posted on 10 August, 2015 by fobif

Following its objections to roadworks scalping valuable vegetation from the Fryers Ridge, FOBIF has written to the Environment Minister asking for clarification of policy on vegetation management of roadsides. The letter reads, in part: “Forest managers have told us that, … Continue reading →

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Does frequent fire damage the soil?

Posted on 10 August, 2015 by fobif

A study presented at Melbourne University Burnley on August 5 offered strength to an argument that’s been going around for a long time: that high frequency severe fire damages soil. The argument has often relied on common sense and anecdotal … Continue reading →

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